Clark County’s recent COVID-19 case rate saw a slight drop for the third week in a row, as the statewide rate trends in the opposite direction.
Clark County Public Health’s Oct. 6 report included 72.1 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population over seven days, down from the 74.7 per 100,000 reported the prior week. The rate has been on a slight but steady decline for three weeks after September featured fluctuations.
While the local case rate has decreased, the rate statewide has risen in the past few weeks. As of Oct. 6, Washington had 97.2 cases per 100,000 population, up from 94.3 per 100,000 the prior week.
Recent case rates lag behind the most recent counts of cases. The health department’s most recent case rate was based on activity from Sept. 20 to Sept. 26.
The health department reported 324 new COVID-19 cases between Sept. 29 and Oct. 6, fewer than the 354 new COVID-19 cases between Sept. 22 and Sept. 29. In total, there have been 105,877 confirmed and probable cases in Clark County since the outbreak began, although that number does not include at-home tests, which often go unreported.
Clark County Public Health’s Oct. 6 report included four additional confirmed COVID-19 deaths and three deaths suspected to be due to the disease, compared to the one confirmed death and three suspected deaths reported the prior week.
The deaths bring Clark County’s total to 933, which includes 796 confirmed and 137 suspected to be due to the disease.
The number of COVID-19 patients occupying hospital beds in Clark County dropped. As of Oct. 6, 7.1% of beds had either patients with confirmed COVID-19 or patients awaiting test results, down from 7.4% reported on Sept. 29. The number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds occupied by COVID-19 patients and patients awaiting test results landed at 6.9%, which was the same as the prior week.
New COVID-19 hospital admissions increased in the latest data. In its Oct. 6 report, the health department reported 5.2 admissions per 100,000 population in the past seven days, up from 4.4 admissions per 100,000 population reported on Sept. 29.
Total hospital bed occupancy in the county also increased as of Oct. 6. The health department reported 98.2% of hospital beds and 96.6% of ICU beds in the county were occupied, compared to 96.3% of all beds and 93.1% of the ICU beds on Sept. 29.
Clark County’s statewide share of COVID-19 cases and deaths stayed about the same. The Washington State Department of Health reported the county had about 5.8% of cases and 6.5% of deaths.
